Meter Question/Help

[Julie and Eleanor (GA)]

Both the Bayer Contour and the Relion Micro are supposed to be pretty accurate, right?
I have a question and I hope it makes sense.
I use a Contour for Eleanor with the Relion Micro my backup.
I KNOW you are supposed to choose one meter and stick with it, I get that, but...
it bugs me that Eleanor's numbers are usually so flat, and sometimes the number I get just doesn't feel right. So I'll double check on the Relion. I understand about the varience and the range and that if I get a 270 on the Contour and a 230 on the Relion, the numbers are within range.

However, the numbers actually move with the Relion, and while I guess they are still technically flat, they at least don't stay exactly or almost exactly the same. And now for example today I've been testing with both and this is what I've gotten:
Contour
PMPS 250
+3 248
+5 252
+7 250
Relion
PMPS 235
+3 226
+5 198
+7 173
My concern is that possibly the Contour is inaccurate and her bg is actually dropping much lower than I think it is. If her bg is lower than I think, might that explain why her symptoms are so much better? I've puzzled over why she (usually) is no longer drinking and peeing like crazy, even though her numbers are the same or higher than they were before I started her on insulin.

When she had bloodwork done in March, the lab had 360 for her bg, I did not test at the vets but I tested as soon as I got her home and her bg was 350, so I figured that was pretty accurate. Is there anything that could change the accuracy of the meter or the strips?

BTW I just read the Consumer Reports Ratings and see that the Contour is rated as Good and the Relion Micro as Excellent.

Does my question make sense? I have a hard time putting my thoughts down, so I hope so.

 

[Blue]

I prefer the Bayer meters, but being in Canada, Relions are not available as they are only in the US.
I did have a couple of Relions and strips from people I know in the US, but I do prefer the Bayer.

The inserts in the strip boxes talks alot about variance, and there are some meters which are not that great at lower readings than other meters, but it still comes down to picking a meter and sticking with it.

We know that the FreeStyle meters are terrible with the new butterfly strips technology with no readings over 300, and the meters with TRUE in the names are not great either, but the others are quite acceptable.

The variance is for each meter, not if you are comparing 2 meters.

You can test with several strips on one meter, from the same drop of blood and get a diff BG every single time.... which one will you pick? There is no point in making yourself crazy with the exactness of numbers because you won't get it from any meter at all.

If you like the Relion, then by all means, go with that one... the strips are cheaper, so that's a plus as well.

As for a cat doing better but the numbers not reflecting at the same time, that's always the case.
When a cat is first dx, and insulin is started, every owner will say that their cat is doing much better... drinking less, peeing less, sometimes eating more, stopped losing weight, etc, but the numbers are not coming down much....
You see the signs first, then the numbers will follow later and especially when you are at the cat's good dose.

 

[Julie and Eleanor (GA)]

I'm not making myself crazy with the exactness of numbers, I'm simply trying to figure out if my cat is currently flat 250ish, or if she is moving around and dropping nicely to 173. I realize I know nothing, but to me there is a pretty good difference between 250 and 173.
I guess all I can do is come up with a couple hundred dollars and take her to the vet and compare my meters with their "machine" (they don't use a meter).

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Julie --

Even if you compare one test on each of your meters with the vet's meter, it's one test. There are any number of variables that, from the standpoint of statistics and measurement, can effect a single test. You would need lots of tests in order to draw any conclusions. It is undoubtedly helpful to get the test at the vet's office if for no other reason than to have a means to calibrate your meter (sort of) and for you to feel more reassured.

If you are concerned that the Contour is giving you higher readings when Eleanor is really in lower ranges, then stick with the Relion. From the standpoint of safety, the Relion may give you a better margin if Eleanor is really running low. However, some meters run unreliably low and you could end up thinking your cat is doing better than she really is. (This is what happened to many people who were using the Freestyle.)

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

Julie,
You've discovered the same thing that I have just pretty well confirmed - I have a Beyer Contour and a Relion Confirm. The Beyer reads between 25 and 30 points higher than the Relion until the lower 100's range. At that point, they seem to start matching up fairly well. I have over 200 strips for the beyer (altho' expired but still reading fine) but have to buy for the Relion. I've started using the Relion when he's low and the Contour when he's in higher numbers.

HUGS!